A Wimmera farmer has welcomed proposed new penalties for individuals or groups that encourage people to trespass onto farms.
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On Thursday, the Morrison government introduced legislation to Federal Parliament in Canberra, seeking to make inciting people to damage farm property and steal livestock punishable up to five years in jail.
While people found guilty of inciting others to trespass on agricultural land would face up to one year in jail.
The legislation follows several trespass incidents at farms across Australia in the past year, including at Nhill's Luv-A-Duck Plant, and the activist group Aussie Farms publishing an online map of farmers' addresses.
Pimpinio farmer Andrew Barber said while the laws sounded "heavy-handed" there needed to be a deterrent for trespassing.
"I don't know how extreme they're going to get, and I wouldn't like it if they came onto my property," he said.
Mr Barber, who runs mixed cropping and fat lambs, said there were serious biosecurity issues involved with people coming onto farms illegally.
"If people have got intensive industries like ducks you don't want diseases coming in on the farm, that would be disastrous," he said. "I'm happy to talk to animal activists - some of them probably reasonable people - but i think society's becoming reactionary. It's disgusting what's been going on."
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Member for Mallee Anne Webster said the laws were an election commitment of the Coalition's.
"I'm looking forward to seeing it get through both houses of parliament so we can protect a $60 billion a year industry," she said.
"The conversations I've had with people in Mallee are that families have been terrified of being targeted. They shouldn't be subject to illegal invasion of their property and privacy."
The new laws have been introduced as Victoria's State Parliament continues an inquiry into how effective its own laws around farm trespass are.
Under state law, people who trespass on farms or any other properties face a fine of up 25 penalty units or imprisonment for six months. Fines are most commonly handed down.
People can also be sued for trespassing.
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